The Blue Mountains Mystery involves the alleged murder of a wealthy businessman, Henry Tracey, and the eventual discovery that the victim was an underworld look-alike impersonator. The main suspects are Tracey's ward, Pauline, Mrs Tracey, and Pauline's boyfriend, Hector, and his rival, Richard Maxim.
Eventually the supposedly dead Henry Tracey reappears and announces that he had been kidnapped. The corpse was Stephen Rodder, a man with a strong resemblance to Tracey.
The movie was mostly filmed in Katoomba, the Blue Mountains and Sydney Harbour, with some studio work at the Carrolls' Palmerston studio in Sydney. The Carrington Hotel and Hydro-Majestic Hotel were featured. Shooting took an unusually long time to complete, in part because of the location work involved.[4][7]
Marjorie Osborne was the only daughter of Charles Lord (son of Francis Lord) and Bertha Lord, née Kerr, later Mrs Emanuel de Beaupuis. She was a fashion consultant to the Sydney store of Farmer's, and wife of a wealthy land-owner, Henry Hill Osborne. She unsuccessfully attempted a Hollywood career after making this film.[4]
Drapery business established in 1839 by Joseph and Caroline Farmer which became a retail empire and social institution. Located initially opposite the Victoria Theatre in Pitt Street, it expanded into a purpose-built department store further south on Pitt Street in 1874.
It was Longford's third production for E. J. Carroll and the first in which Lyell received a formal co-direction credit. According to the book Australian Cinema: The First 80 Years by Graham Shirley and Brian Adams, the film cost almost double that of The Sentimental Bloke (1919).
Reception
Marjorie Osborne, née Lord
The film was popular at the box office in Australia.[4][8]
Although now lost, at the time of its release The Blue Mountains Mystery fared well in the United Kingdom, South America and the United States upon its initial release.[9] The London Bioscope wrote of The Blue Mountains Mystery: " …by its restrained acting, shows the force which a story gains in the telling. As a consequence, suspense is held throughout".[10] The reviewer of the Los Angeles Times said the film "will keep you on the edge of your seat to the last fade out."[11]
Actress Marjorie Osborne was admiring of Lottie Lyell's contributions for The Blue Mountains Mystery. She said of her: "I like brains in a woman, and she has them. Her work on this picture is more on the directing side than the acting. She assists Mr. Longford, and the two of them have plenty of healthy argument when their ideas about a scene are different."[12] The November 1921 edition of the Picture Show magazine also praised Lyell as being "enthusiastic, original, possessing charm and common sense" for her writing of the screenplay.
Harrison Owen was unimpressed with the film, which he thought poorly made compared to overseas movies.[13]
The Carrolls withdrew from production after this film and concentrated on distribution and exhibition.
